Parasitical British weeds

1107. Plants partially parasitical have been lately discovered to exist among the commonest British weeds. These are of the nature of root parasites, and though they have been long classed as noxious weeds, their real nature has been only recently discovered. Among these parasites may be mentioned the eye-bright (Euphrasia), the yellow rattle (Rhinanthus Crista galli), the cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense), and Bartsia viscosa. All these plants are singularly impatient of cultivation, though extremely common on neglected grass lands.